Children on Ritalin: Long Term Effects

Seeing as psychiatrists have been drugging children with Ritalin since the 1970s, some long term effects have now been studied and confirmed. Psychiatrist and whistle blower Peter Breggin reports these possible tragic outcomes for the victim of long term Ritalin use:

There are many reasons why children labeled with some form of hyperactivity and given stimulants suffer these consequences.

According to Breggin, when a child is first given a stimulant drug, he or she experiences the adverse side effects of anxiety, depression, agitation, insomnia, psychosis and even aggression.

Compounding the Tragedy

Unfortunately, most psychiatrists are unable to observe the obvious: that the drug he has given the child is causing these effects. So instead of weaning the child from the damaging pharmaceutical, their faulty science leads them to believe the drug has somehow uncovered additional mental disorders.

What follows is a veritable cocktail of drugs to fix these supposedly unmasked set of problems.

OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) can be one result of psychiatric drugging. A child becomes less social and his spontaneous behavior may be stifled.

Dr. Breggin reports, “The initial diagnosis of ADHD ruins the child’s sense of personal responsibility and self-control, so that the child no longer thinks he can control himself. This almost inevitably disrupts emotional growth and renders the child less able to grow up into a mature adult.”

Ritalin and Brain Changes

Lead researcher Joan Baizer of the University of Buffalo points out that “…[Ritalin] has the potential for causing long-lasting changes in brain cell structure and function.”

Other studies show that the long-term Ritalin side effects can cause the onset of depression as well as possible brain injury to the frontal lobes.

Ritalin induced brain damage is similar to frontal lobe syndrome, normally caused by head trauma. Frontal lobe syndrome can cause a person much difficulty in inhibiting inappropriate behavior.

Because youngsters’ brains are still developing, they are much more susceptible to Ritalin’s negative effects.

As of 2014, three million US children had been prescribed ADHD drugs. This equates to a 2,000 percent increase since the mid 1980s. Due to peer pressure, the abuse has spread beyond the children who have been diagnosed as having hyperactivity. It is common knowledge that Ritalin is now a popular street drug.

Experimenting on Mice and Children

The National Institute of Health (NIH) reports that investigators funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) showed Ritalin could cause physical changes in neurons in reward regions of mouse brains – in some cases, these effects overlapped with those of cocaine. Although millions of kids are already on this drug, NIDA director Dr. Nora Volkow states, “This study highlights the fact that we know very little about how methylphenidate [Ritalin] affects the structure of and communication between brain cells.”

Since researchers have determined that Ritalin can and does damage a mouse brain, why does it remain on the market, the drug of choice for treatment of rambunctious (many would suggest normal) children? The psychiatrists’ inability to explain how Ritalin affects the brain is no excuse for its continued marketing.

In fact, one suspects most parents would find the psychiatrist’s utter detachment from the possibility of damaging their child’s brain rather distasteful. In the words of Dr. Peter Breggin, “Psychiatry has never been driven by science. They have no biological or genetic basis for these illnesses and the National Institutes of Mental Health are totally committed to the pharmacological line… There is a great deal of scientific evidence that stimulants cause brain damage with long-term use, yet there is no evidence that these mental illnesses, such as ADHD, exist.”

Many parents have found it wise to heed the words of this leading psychiatrist with no vested interest in the marketing and prescribing of Ritalin and similar pharmaceuticals.

Comments

JoAnn

Great info but about 25 years too late, where was this information when I agreed to let my 6 year old son be subjected to ever increasing doses of this drug.He hasn’t taken it since he was 15 but is still dealing with the psychological effects, self doubt, anxiety and depression as well as the frustration of not feeling ‘normal’. Any suggestions?

Timothy Juda

Alan

You’re right where was it, because I was on Ritalin from kindergarten til 5th grade. I’m 35 now and I suffer from depression and every thing. I can’t even have a great relationship with my pregnant girl friend. My social skills barely exsit. I’m frustrated almost 85-90% of the time.

Happypenguin

Just so you know , I’m 34 and never took medication for ADHD and I am depressed, lonely and have very low self esteem and actually very immature , not due to medication but because that’s just the ADHD brain. Please don’t feel guilty for medicating your child , it probably didn’t do as much harm as you think it did.

Rebekah Swan

Hi great article I was wondering when the brain changes start to permanently take effect? I have a sister who is now 24 and was on Ritalin when she was young but I cannot recall how long she was on it as by that time I was an adult and my parents had moved to another state. I see where she gets angry at the drop of a hat and its almost like her brain bypasses the “stop and think before you react mechanism”. Any input would be great thanks.

Timothy Juda

Michael Murphy

I was prescribed Ritalin from the time i was 6 until 10 and then switched to a few others (avinza, stratera and others i can’t remember) until i settled on Aderall until the time i was 16 (when i decided independently to stop taking them). The effects of this were terrible physically and mentally and also caused a lot friction and distrust between my parents and me. I didn’t trust them for a long time (and still don’t entirely) because of it, and while i hope they had no malicious intents in their hearts when they took me to the doctor, it has been impossible to forgive them all these years later. as a child it caused me to see them not as parents, but as overzealous authority figures who, when not obeyed, would drug me to get me to be compliant, which only lead to an angry (and sometimes violent) rebellion against all authority figures in my life.

I despised society itself for a long time and when i went off the meds cold turkey, i inadvertently triggered a years long alcohol addiction which almost killed me. I still feel the effects to this day. In social situations, i have a lag between my thoughts and my actual words, which makes it difficult to stay in the conversation (and pick up on social cues) and my alcohol addiction left a permanent mark on my speech patterns (even stone cold sober, i still slur my words a bit) which leads to animosity from people thinking i’m still wasted all the time. My personal image of myself was horrible for a long time and I’ve only recently (i’m currently 26) started to come to a better view of myself. For a long time, i was convinced that there was something wrong with me, that for some reason i was burdened with something no one else i knew had to deal with, yet, everyone else seemed to act exactly like me. It drove me to a state of suicide and i still have problems connecting with people to this day. When i look at my life now and the state of things, i get a seething rage inside me at the thought of how much different my life would be if i had never been given those vile things. I can’t say if my life would be better or worse, but at least i know it would have been all on me. That the decisions i made would not a have been put through a filter of a drug i never had a choice in taking because my parents were quick to find a solution to a problem that didn’t exist.

So please, if you are considering giving your child these meds, take my story to heart and remember, you may not only be messing with your kids mental development, but you may also be planting the seeds of destruction in the relationship you have with your child. And if you do decide to give your child these meds… take one and see what you doing to your kid every day.

Rebekah Swan

I read your article and the last sentence had the most profound effect to me, not on me personally for I will not ever consider these drugs for my children and if I know of any parent considering them I will, if you don’t mind quote what you said. Too many times parents want to believe they are doing right by their children but do little research. Like you and all the others that have written of their experiences I can feel your hurt and pain and for it I am sorry. I am not a bible-thumping Christian but I do know that the saving and healing power of Jesus Christ can heal you so this “that you are healed” I speak out to you and hope you receive it. I am sure you are a wonderful person and tell yourself this ” that you are wonderfully made” and believe it. Its not your fault that you were exposed to this be blessed and take care, eat healthy and walk or run everyday..this has a good effect on the brain.

C

I hope you are seeking therapy. What you described is symptoms of ADHD itself. Sounds like you need the medication. I am currently giving this to my son because he is smart and struggling in school and didn’t have fun winds. He is now gaining confidence, doing good and making friends.

Mandi

I was prescribed ritalin when I was younger_ now I’m having all kinds of health issues my first was my gallbladder,I didn’t have stones so they had to do a hita scan to shows it wasn’t working properly-which was a robin egg when they took it out, now 32 they have found a spot on my liver and it is covered in scar tissue * my question is will ritalin cause issues like this from taking this medicine for years when I was younger- I have daily nausea, abdominal pain,fatigue,headaches ect.

I was started on Ritalin and Dilantin in 1960. It turns out I have Asperger’s, not a hyperactivity disorder. I was kept on ever increasing doses of Ritalin until high school, 10 years, when it was suddenly taken away. My mother started stealing it to use herself. This was in the 1960’s so there was no cognizance of drug addiction and illegal drug use like there is now. I can’t even begin to tell you about the health problems and challenges I’ve faced during my lifetime as a result of being drugged. One of the worst effects was not feeling normal and severe chronic fatique. I almost flunked High School as a result. My parents had the nerve to call me a drug addict when I was the one being drugged by them. My mother told everyone I was a drug addict to cover herself for stealing my prescribed medicine. I have suffered throughout my life with acute health issues and severe depression. Because I have Asperger’s I was also bullied and teased mercilessly to point that it caused bleeding ulcers when I was a sophomore in high school. Some of those ulcers never healed leading to chronic severe Anemia. A routine colonoscopy found 3 bleeding polips when I was 53. It’s taken over a decade since then to recover from the mental fog. My point is, don’t let your children be drugged. Find out what’s really wrong, usually a nutritional deficit or poisons in the food, and address it. After a heart attack, a broken femure, and the complete breakdown of my spine I figured out drugs won’t fix anything, only nutrition and supplements will. Living better with Chemistry isn’t working! I no longer take any drugs of any kind and I have reversed most of my problems. Pharma protocols are designed to make money, not give you health! Keep your kids off of drugs by never giving them any to start with.

Gisele long

Chris

I was on Ritalin as a child an had a rough and difficult childhood, I’m 31 now and can still feel the affects from the drug. It hurts and every day seems like a challenge. From dealing with depression and p.t.s.d.,not being able to trust people and basically feeling alone,mood swings and lashing out for no reason,trying to manage anger issues and always being aggravated…. yea it sucks

Steve

From fourth to eighth grade I too was on Ritalin. Also suffered delayed puberty which made me feel inferior to others my age.. Was super short too at 4’11” and 90lbs.. Was in constant trouble .. When not using it felt I couldn’t do anything. While using it often felt sick whenever my adrenaline rose.. Like alex in clockwork orange. Years later legal trouble brought on by sverre heroin abuse after years of cocaine use in which I felt often more in tune with the world… Idk. Wish I could know more about if there’s a link to the Ritalin or if I am just fuct up. Sober now thru the 12 steps I’ve let the resentment go but would like to know anyhow…

I am 45 years old and was on Ritalin and methylphenidate the extended release for 14 years from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade as a child I had a blackout all the time lost my temper and went into rages I have trouble concentrating and focusing on one thing at a time the jobs I’ve had had to be repetitious I did not like anything that changed and I still don’t I fight against it as hard as I can the Blackout’s I have had I put people in the hospital from fighting if not myself from injury I feel inadequate almost everyday and Afraid to actually go out and meet other people I still talk to the ones that I known from grade school certain things I OCD on always find myself it can’t be done that way it has to be done this way in this way only when someone tries to teach me I lose my temper very easily very quickly I have not been able to have a relationship with a person I cannot have children reading through some of these articles I finally understand why the front of my head is always feel like there’s a headband on it the frontal lobes get destroyed make sense when they cut me off the Ritalin they cut me off cold turkey I snapped my hand in half and went into wages had no control over myself thoughts of depression all the time suicide am I good enough I can’t do that job everybody says I’m a retard if I fight against them all the time or just telling them I’m not a retard I am unable to retain information and remember it from one day to the next I am emotionally High Strung and it seems like it’s 10 times more than anyone else’s more curious about the long-term effects that it has on us adults these days those who have been on it for many years these days I have heart problems my respiratory system and believe I’ve had growth stunts I do not like the way my body looks I feel like everyone is looking at me and talking about me I am insecure and underweight my eating habits are very poor I always always have looked at myself as not being the same as all the other kids different and if anyone actually tells you that the medicine is good for their child the line the still in it and are addicted to it themselves this medicine is no good for No One it should be outlawed in band the United States but then I guess that’s how they make their money I’m making us sick I recommend everyone not to put the children on this medicine unless if you want to have an addicted drug alcoholic Psychopathic bipolar child that’s not good enough for you some of them died from this medication the u.s. is the only place on this planet that allows that medication to be legal into distributed to your children and adults no other country allows it they know that is not good so why does the US keep on doing it population control now they just say oh it’s just crazy and he sees and says things yeah that’s the cause from the medicine seeing things that aren’t real good evening things that are real not knowing what’s true well I’m living proof that it doesn’t want and my life isn’t the greatest I just get by on a daily base hoping and praying I don’t hurt anyone or myself I tell myself one day at a time that’s about all I can do these days I never really own my own business or anything I won’t I don’t know how to be able to deal with others or do the paperwork I get to angry too fast too quick as I said I’m 45 years old and I’m still feeling the effects from this medication 27 years later no pill that message with your neurological brain system could be good for you I wish the best of luck to everyone who has been on this medication I myself find if I drink a cup of black coffee it helps me calm down and concentrate on a couple subjects at a time instead of 50 to 100 do not give your children this medicine it is not good no matter what doctors say about it

michelle loukidis

M.T.

My girlfriend was prescribed these drugs as a child. She went from about 200lbs in high school to hardly a little over 100lbs. She has heart problems, emotional problems, and cannot eat a normal meal at all. She is 28 yrs old, and has depression, anxiety and is nauseous all the time. She tries to eat, and wants to eat, but the nausea is so bad she will throw up. This causes her not to eat at all for days at a time. The only things she can keep down are things like potato chips, 5 hour energy drinks and the occasional salad. This is a HORRIBLE way to eat and she knows it. She has horribly scary thoughts, and sometimes feels like ending it all. She is now (obviously) afraid of taking drugs to counteract all that Ritalin did to her, so she smokes weed daily just so she can get out of bed, and eat something without throwing up. I know its self medication, but without weed, she would literally probably die. I am sickened that our government allows drugs like this to be given to our children without even caring what it will do to their futures. I bet you they wouldn’t give this shit to their own kids!!! Please, if you are thinking about giving your child ANY kind of prescribed drug, please research first, and I am sure you will find a healthy or natural substitute. I know that my daughter has never taken a drug in her life. She barely had any of her initial shots. She is the most healthy kid I have ever known. She never gets sick, and she has a healthy immune system and cardio system. Her brain functions at a high level, and she is happy and assertive. I dont care if doctors make you feel bad about not “helping” your child, don’t give in….this is YOUR CHILD, and they matter more than some doctor lining his pockets with money you just gave him for drugs that can kill your child or mame them for life.

M.T.

Question:
What can be done to counteract these side affects besides smoking weed and besides another cocktail of drugs? anyone know? I’ve been trying to research, but all everything says is “side affects” to Ritalin, but no help for adults who took it as a child and now have adverse side affects for life….I’d just like to get some relief for my girlfriend if at all possible.

CCHR

I don’t know where you live but you should seek the assistance of a professional, such as the one at the link in this comment, who can look into solutions that will best help your girlfriend. Pamela Seefeld – http://www.botanicalresource.com/

John

I am now 29, and I too took Ritalin as a child, from 7 to 14. It started with doses of 3 at a time 3 times a day for about a year I think, could have been longer, could have been shorter.
I was a social competent kid, who always made friends, who now and then was lashing out at his parents and other authorities, Maybe not just lashing out in all honesty, they were actually serious tantrums where many toys found it’s maker or launched at someones head, to much more radical things towards the end of my teenage years (where I already quit), and it effected my family and my school, obviously, cause I couldn’t concentrate for shit — it was a constant chaos in my head. Unfortunately that they were/are so careless about prescribing these (or any other kind of meds for that matter), while in fact they know so little about the human brain, They should however look at the source of the problem rather than identify it as a brain deficit, which is in many cases something that can be worked on without mind altering meds — Most of the times your brain is fully capable of doing it him or herself. .

For me there was something at play…
My parents divorced when I was 4 in a not so child friendly way, long story short it teared me apart, paired with a
genetic predisposition to tantrums, this was a perfect cocktail for disaster in such a young brain that yeah… I needed help.
Even though I will agree that it was their decision, I have to say they are also only humans. They simply weren’t fit to have children. Doesn’t mean that I will hate them, or that I will blame them. I mean, they did what they thought was right, right? I mean my parents do love me, and I am sure that if they had known better, they would have made different choices. Like my father not too long ago he said “if I knew what would have happened I would have never had children with your mother”. Let that sink in for a moment… Truth be told I just lol’d at it, I mean, if he really is so easy in discarding me, then why all the heartfelt every now and then? I can’t hate him for it, why would I? He is just an emotional cripple, but he is still my dad.
To come back to where I was going, they found me help, at 5. Extensive therapy for 2 years,.. Didn’t help… who would have guessed?. So they put me on Ritalin for 7 years. In these 7 years I endured many changes, varying from being called a zombie, to loss of appetite, to become “less fun”, to do a lot better in school. Where it seemed to be helping, yelp… But for then it was better, I mean I at least had a chance at a semi normal childhood cause all those emotions from the bullshit around me were nullified. Unfortunately that affected my social abilities later on, it also affected my self esteem, digestive system, and the will of a winner. That what made me special, that’s why I could excel at things such as sports, math, instruments, any game with a quick response time. Unfortunately that was all held back by the attention problem. So in my parent’s defense, It did help in the beginning, For some I’m sure this can be true.

Now to why I decided to actually post a comment is to tell you all this,
No matter how hard it has been, or no matter how bad you are feeling (and I’ve battled a depression for 4 years), there is always a chance to better yourself through understanding why you are feeling the way you are feeling, and work on it at the core. There is no one that can help you except you.
For me I left my home country when I was 20 cause I flunked high school, and during the recession there were only a few jobs available on the market and I would have none of it. Luckily they dispensed well fare into my account and since I was being declared as unstable, I thought I would take my chances on them not being as organized as they would like to appear. and simply go back and forth to a country where I learned to eat again. where I learned to smile again, and to be happy, but most important of all, more confident .I found a girl along the way who later became my wife. Now mind you that this relationship was meant to fail with my background, her background, huge actual distance between our residences,
Fortunately for me she has been utmost patient with me and have helped me change a lot and we did overcome our difficulties and found a way to make it work living together (immigration was something nasty). Unfortunately for us I get triggered now we have 2 children and are living together in our home, where our oldest daughter at age 3.5 is showing severe autistic traits. Now the system fails us here, and google leaves you with the wise advice of seeking professional help. Great and all but it doesn’t help us much. I have never been the most patient man unless I count those years on Ritalin, and can’t help to show my frustration with varying forms of verbal abuse (I am so sick of myself afterwards), and tantrums as if I am still a kid… I still can’t control my anger, my own kid, damn it. This is something I need to work on!..

Conclusion,
I am thinking on taking these meds again, if it could give the stability factor in my life that we all need so much.
Just as long as I don’t over do it, it might be all I need. I mean after all What more could a couple of them in me do? I can always try, and stop if I see I am making changes I don’t want to see. I am an adult now, not a kid anymore. It contradicts my earlier statement a bit, I know. I just think an adult can make his own decisions. A kid undergoes too many changes in his body and brain and shouldn’t, unless absolutely necessary, be on these drugs.

Thnx for whoever took the time to read my long comment. might be a bit unclear — in hindsight I shouldn’t have written it at 2 in the morning. Just always try to best yourself with the best help you could ever get. Your own psyche. Make the right decision in a neutral moment, and follow through.

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CCHR Florida

The Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida is a non-profit watchdog organization that investigates and exposes psychiatric abuse and educates the public about their rights in the field of mental health.

CCHR Florida provides only facts and does not provide medical or legal advice.

Our office recommends that an individual seek a competent medical examination by a non-psychiatric medical professional.